George Jedenoff became an avid skier 51 years ago when he
moved to Salt Lake City to oversee the Geneva Steel Plant. He learned from the
best: iconic Junior Bounous, legendary Alf Engen, and release binding inventor
Earl Miller.

At that time, Miller performed stunt falls to show how well
his bindings released. But he credited George with doing whacky falls that he’d
never seen. In spite of the falls, George learned to ski and to love the sport.

Junior Bounous, director of skiing at Sundance and then
Snowbird, mentored George and they became fast friends. They’ve skied together
for 51 years. Even now, I continue to learn new things from Junior, said
George.

Today, July 5, the two friends skied on George’s 100th
birthday

George lives in California but he returns to Utah every
winter to ski at Alta and Snowbird. He skis with the vigor of a teenager and
charges through powder with ease. He loves powder.

He also has a philosophy that guides his life and inspires
others. “Be kind. Do your best. Don’t be discouraged by bad things that might
happen to you. Always be positive,” he says.

When George was 95, Ski Utah, the umbrella organization over
all Utah ski resorts, produced a video of him skiing. It was an immediate hit
and each winter Ski Utah produces a new and inspiring video of him.

Thanks to Snowbird, George celebrated his 100th
birthday by skiing a large field of snow near the top of the mountain with his
friend Junior Bounous. He was also awarded a plaque, shared a cake with
everyone who attended, and enjoyed a birthday lunch at Snowbird’s Forklift
Restaurant. He also received a letter of congratulations from the nationally
known 70+ Ski Club. Only 3 of its 3,000 members have been over 100 years old.

But there’s a back story too. Yesterday, George and Junior
drove up the gravel summer road at Alta to search for a patch of snow on which
to practice before today’s big event. They found a suitable patch and made
turns. “It was about as big as a room and about as wide,” said Junior. “But we
skied it.”

The day’s festivities wrapped up with George’s typical,
positive outlook. His skis were leaning against a wall, and he spoke to a
family member saying: “Let’s remember to pick up my skis, I’ll need them this
winter.”